Helio Castroneves celebrates his win by climbing the turn one fence at the Edmonton Indy race in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada, on Sunday, July 22, 2012. THE CANADIAN PRESS/John Ulan

Photograph by: John Ulan
, THE CANADIAN PRESS

EDMONTON - Officially, it was his first IZOD IndyCar victory in Edmonton, but to hear Helio Castroneves tell it, there’s still a piece of him that will always lay claim to the race in 2010.

At least now he has name in the record book. Officially.

“I’m never going to forget what happened, but I certainly have to move on,” Castroneves said after he finally took the checkered flag in Edmonton.

The seemingly ageless driver, now in his third decade of racing, bettered the field of 25 racers in Sunday’s caution-free race at the City Centre Airport track.

His winning time of 1:38:50.9594 beat Takumo Sato and Will Power, who finished second and third respectively.

“Maybe some people would disagree with me that it’s not my second win, (but) I can finally say I won here,” Castroneves continued.

After the green flag dropped, Canadian Alex Tagliani took the lead on Turn 13 and lap by hurried lap, he paced the field that was roaring around airport track. But with 22 laps separating Tagliani from his second career victory in Edmonton, his first since 2004, Castroneves took advantage of a lightning-quick pit stop to take the lead.

The Brazilian never looked back.

“I really enjoyed (chasing him down for first),” said Sato. “I wish that I would have enjoyed it a little more ... but we were not quite there. He did obviously a great job; he made no mistakes at all.

“We challenged. We attacked ... we’ll take second place.”

Castroneves, who has always been a contender in Edmonton, pulled into second place on Lap 38 on the 13-turn, 2.224-mile airport course, then overtook Tagliani and held off the hard charging Sato to win his second race of the season.

Castroneves was second in 2008, 2009 and 2011. In 2010, which was his only other race in Edmonton, he crossed the finish line first, but was black flagged for not serving a blocking penalty. He was dropped into 10th place.

“Normally, you wait a little longer to do your pit stop. I was surprised when my called me in,” said Castroneves, who led for 22 laps while Tagaliani lead for a race high 49. “I did everything I could on the out lap to beat those guys. It was close but it certainly paid off.”

One of the IndyCar officials in victory lane was IZOD’s director of security, Charles Burns, who was among those trying to restrain an irate Castroneves two years ago. Convinced he didn’t deserve a penalty for blocking Power, he reacted with such vehemence he was later fined $60,000. Scott Dixon got the victory.

“In a way it’s funny,” said Power. “In this sport, or life in general, what goes around comes around. You generally get what you deserve. He was right there last year, almost won it. He won it this year ... It’s karma.”

Sato held on to finish second in the 75-lap race — his best finish in an IndyCar — while Power, who won in Edmonton in 2009 and 2011, registered his fourth straight podium finish in Edmonton. It was an even more remarkable finish, given he started in 17th place.

“If I had thought the race would go green, starting from 17th, I would take have taken third any day.” said Power. “These are the days you love. We don’t get them very often in IndyCar — those days when it’s full green on tracks where you can pass.”

The last caution-free race for the series was in 2011 in Texas.

“My second win here,” said Castroneves. “But today it counted. And it was good to have Charles there. We never, ever fought each other — just look at the size of the guy. I was just asking him a question.”

This was the second win of the season for Castroneves, driving the Team Penske’s No. 3 car. He won the opening race in St. Petersburg and now has seven top six finishes — enough points to push him into second place in the driver standings.

He could very well end up challenging Power, his Penske teammate, for the championship.

“He’s stronger than ever this year and he’s been really consistent on days that he can’t win and when he can, he absolutely executes. He’s strong, (Ryan) Hunter-Reay is strong ... it’s going to be a fight to the very end,” said Power.

Power is now third in the driver standings with 336 points, 26 points back of leader Hunter-Reay and three back of Castroneves, who now sits 13th on the all-time win list.

Hunter-Reay won the previous series three races and he won the pole on Saturday, but started 11th because of an engine change penalty.

“We just needed a yellow,” said Hunter-Reay. “We expected yellows. Maybe lots of them, but we just didn’t get ’em.”